The Lived Experiences of Young Professional Teachers of Samal Tribe

This study explored the lived experiences of young Sama (Samal) professional teachers who successfully overcame educational, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers to enter the teaching profession. Guided by a qualitative phenomenological design and informed by an ethnographic perspective, the research sought to understand the challenges encountered, coping strategies employed, and insights gained throughout their educational and professional journeys. Five licensed professional teachers from Barangay Tinoto, Maasim, Sarangani Province, were purposively selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method, which involved identifying significant statements, formulating meanings, clustering themes, and validating findings through member checking. The findings revealed three overarching dimensions of participants' experiences. First, participants encountered substantial barriers characterized by crisis of professional confidence, cultural frustration, poverty, and prejudice and discrimination. Second, they demonstrated resilience through faith in Allah, cultural preservation, community solidarity, practical resourcefulness, personal and familial sacrifice, and strong parental motivation. Finally, participants viewed educational success as a product of perseverance, resilience, and the transformative power of education, leading to professional fulfillment, strengthened cultural identity, and opportunities to uplift their families and communities. These narratives illustrate that resilience is shaped by the interaction of personal agency, spirituality, family support, and indigenous cultural values. The study contributes to the literature on indigenous education by adopting a strengths-based perspective that highlights educational success rather than educational disadvantage among indigenous professionals. The findings underscore the need for culturally responsive educational policies, inclusive teaching practices, and community-based support mechanisms that recognize indigenous knowledge systems, strengthen resilience, and promote equitable educational opportunities for marginalized learners and future educators.